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George Geist

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Everything posted by George Geist

  1. George Geist
    From Grantville Pennsylvania, Happy New Year to everybody :) George Geist
  2. George Geist
    150# bought in NJ in early 1980's for $100. Got it from an old man who said it had belonged to his late brother. Supposedly was bought new sometime in the late '70s and never used. Still has stenciling on top and a Fisher and Norris sticker on the side. May need to have you take a look at it sometime but have always been under the impression that I may have gotten one of the last ones they made. George
  3. George Geist
    The engineer who developed these forges tells me that the Swiss Army bought a load of them to use for their Cavalry. http://www.hypona.com/forgeeng.html One significant improvement among many is that on this forge there is no electronic igniter. Just a hole for a match. He thought and rightfully so that all those things do is break, their unnecessary and an all around PITA so he dispensed with them. I think this forge will be #1 eventually.
  4. George Geist
    Mild or cold rolled should work fine. Just don't overheat them. Keep them cool. In the water after every heat and they should work as good for you as anything else. George
  5. George Geist
    Forgemaster Blacksmith model is excellent. A new one out there now called the Hypona is good as well. In fact I think if I were in the market for a new gas forge I'd go with the Hypona. It's exactly what you're looking for. One comment I'll make about fuel efficiency. Years ago when I was hanging around diesel trucks a bunch of drivers were talking about fuel economy. I remember one guy saying "You don't send a boy to do a man's job" "When you send a man to do a man's job you have to feed him like a man". "Fuel economy is not an issue when it's necessary to move 40 tons over hill and highway so if you want good mileage go drive a Toyota." I really feel the same way about gas forges. The best ones aren't fuel efficient. Get something that will get your metal hot. Something you can weld in. Propane is cheap and plentiful so fuel use or lack thereof should be pretty low on the priority list. Best of luck to you. George
  6. George Geist
    Essentially it's making your own concave. I'd venture to guess there was probably a time when that type section wasn't always mass produced in factories so it needed to be handmade. To my knowledge no. I believe it's a very old traditional British shoe. Concave is as you say tapered on one side. This stuff is sort of trapezoidal in cross section so is a bit different. Traditionally on fronts they'll fuller all the way around but on hinds they'll leave the toe unswaged as you see. Makes for a really nice looking job. George
  7. George Geist
    Here's another one of them being made and used in a competition but do yourself a favor and turn your sound down if you watch this one: George
  8. George Geist
    Have a look here: Gives a good look at the swage block too. He only gets it about half done but it'll give you the general idea. For more pictures of such shoes come visit the horseshoers forum ;) George
  9. George Geist
    Correct, the forged single slot one on the right is also for horseshoeing. That block is used for making what's known as a tool and fuller shoe. Is seldom seen in this country outside of competitions but is a pretty common shoe in England and Ireland. George
  10. George Geist
    I keep hearing you guys on the west coast talking about coal it makes me wish I could come out there and open up a coalyard ;) Seems the demand is definitely there anyway. I'd say first start out with these people: http://www.penncoal.com/wst_page4.html They'll send it anywhere bagged and palletized. Is plenty of other sources online but I think if you all would really put your heads together and get organized about it you could have it brought out there by rail car. That'd make it just as cheap as anywhere else. George
  11. George Geist
    Not much different than the rest of you guys. Had a pretty good shop in Jr High and High School. Took every metal shop class I could. Also through most years growing up and thereafter have always been involved in some capacity or another with horses. Being a metalworking enthusiast as well as being with horses getting into shoeing was a pretty natural fit. Upon graduation attended a horseshoeing school and have pursued that trade for 33 years now. I notice a pretty large percentage of smiths begin their lives as horseshoers. I figure that's where I fall in. Although horseshoeing can be good for money the shop work is the real fun for me. Is a great trade
  12. George Geist
    I believe it is. That make had a cylindrical hole going up through it supposedly to make it easier to temper. I'd suppose there is some validity to that as anvils made that way you don't see chipped edges on them as much as you do solid ones. MFC anvils boast doing it for that reason today but don't mention that American Star had that idea about 150 or so years before they did. That hole also gives it some harmonics and makes it a real ringer. Value? Depends. Whatever one is willing to pay like anything else but absent that whatever the price of scrap iron per pound right now is at least a bottom line. George
  13. George Geist
    Toe calks. Old horse shoes that required toe calks (sharp for winter use on ice or blunt for agricultural field use) had rivet pegs on back of them to be upset into holes on a shoe or other times were just welded on. Either way a die swage tool like that was a necessary tool to get that done. Oftentimes such dies can be seen on old foot operated calking vices as well. Nice score ;) Any chance it might be for sale? George
  14. George Geist
    Good score. That particular model is about the best one in the JHM line. Enjoy it :) George
  15. George Geist
    How old is it? They were one of the first gas forges on the market. Find out if it's got an electric blower or an atmospheric venturi. Those kind often had electric blowers which many guys don't like. (was my first gas forge and worked ok for me) Be sure it has a good liner. The older ones didn't have a stone bottom so flux ate up the soft refractory pretty fast if you didn't find a way to protect it. They didn't have doors on them either. Outside of that it'll get metal hot just as good as anything else I suppose. I'm thinking you should probably get a pretty good deal on it if you're not bothered by the stuff I mentioned. George
  16. George Geist
    Any of you guys know where one could get drawings or blueprints of brick or masonry forges? Something that could be handed to a mason with instructions of "here you go get it done" I'll buy them if any of you guys have them or would be appreciative if you could point me to a source. George
  17. George Geist
    This is a tough one. I too am a firearm enthusiast as well as a user of anvils. Yes a Hay Budden is a great thing. However, in this case I think I may have to be contrary to popular opinion. As I see it, the days of private firearm ownership (especially of politically incorrect looking makes and models) are numbered in this country. Guns you sell or get rid of don't ever come back. Anvils last for thousands of years will never be illegal and will always be around. Keep the rifle save your money and buy an anvil. They're all over e-bay all the time. If you're not already a member you need to join the NRA too ;) George
  18. George Geist
    I've hit upon a pretty good source of nice coal in Mechanicsburg. Only downside for most guys is you have to go get it yourself. Not practical for anybody but locals but is good coal. Stuart when I eventually run into you someplace I'll bring you some to try if you're interested. George
  19. George Geist
    Been there a few times. Definitely one of America's best kept secrets. Is without a doubt the most picturesque state I've ever been to. Very beautiful place. Has not just lots of smithing activity but plenty of whatever might interest you. Is something for everybody there. Sounds like you'll be making a good move. * George * As an interesting aside to it check out a place called Point Roberts. Is a little piece of Washington that can only be gotten to by land through Canada.
  20. George Geist
    I think I have you all beat. I bought one like that 200# for $125 (the guy was asking $150) back in 1980-something. Granted that was a while ago but they haven't appreciated that much. I'll agree with everybody else and say too much money. Hey Josh, I know there is no specific "Navy" model. However, didn't Fisher have the government contracts to produce anvils for the Navy? I thought so anyway and that does look like deck gray paint on it. Interesting. George
  21. George Geist
    That's interesting. I was taught that it made for a better nailhole without the sharp corners. Not sure really how important that is in a horseshoe which isn't going to last forever anyway, but certainly did IMO make them much more aesthetically pleasing. Also tends to make an imperfectly stamped nailhole not look quite as bad. Is interesting to see old shoe boards especially from Standardbred shoers were usually punched oval. Sharp and rectangular is a pretty recent trend. I even used to go over machine mades with an oval punch to make them look right ;) George
  22. George Geist
    Even the original asking price of $250 was a deal. Good score ;) George
  23. George Geist
    I like to file the bevel into a hammer finished heel anyway. Is just what I'm used to. Another thing we don't see much of anymore is oval headstamps on plain stamped shoes. Everybody seems to use sharp rectangular ones now. Good to hear hs.com had some activity. The slow miserable death of that website has been a shame. George
  24. George Geist
    Is a very good question and hasn't escaped my notice either. Your post prompted me to start a thread about that subject on the other website. George
  25. George Geist
    Ditto that
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